1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solar motor and more particularly to a solar motor that exploits the large tensile forces produced in certain materials in response to cooling and contraction of such materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 348,841 and 1,260,300 disclose devices wherein a plurality of metal rods are series connected so as to produce power in response to ambient temperature variations throughout the day and night. Such devices can produce only a small amount of movement over an extremely long time.
U.S. Pat. No. 824,474 discloses a pyromotor which employs leaf springs which are heated by a flame source to expand and contract. There is a ratchet and pawl mechanism for transmitting the expansion and contraction forces on the leaf springs to a shaft and a fly wheel mounted thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,393,376 discloses a device having a plurality of thermal strips and a mechanism moveable over the strips for alternately shading the strips and exposing the strips to sunlight. The strips are substantially stationary, one end of each strip being connected to a ratchet and pawl mechanism to impart rotative motion to a shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,151 discloses a heavy balanced structure freely supported on a shaft. On opposite sides of the structure are supported heat sensitive bands. When one of the bands is exposed to heat energy and the other band is shaded from heat energy, the supporting structure is deformed into an asymmetrical or unbalanced condition so as to cause rotation of the structure on the shaft in response to the force of gravity. The device disclosed in the '151 patent is capable of producing a force limited to the magnitude of the force of gravity acting on the unbalanced weight of the structure.